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Canaries have Reds in their sights

Norwich City midfielder Anthony Pilkington is hoping the Canaries can cap a hugely successful return to the Premier League by finishing above 18-times champions Liverpool.

Promoted Norwich were one of the favourites to be relegated at the start of the season but re-emphasised their top-flight credentials on Monday when they became the only club other than Manchester United and Manchester City to win at Tottenham.

Pilkington, who scored the opener in the 2-1 win at White Hart Lane, is delighted that his team have proved the doubters wrong this year and now hopes they can climb above Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool, who are level on 43 points with a game in hand, by the end of the season.

"All the pundits were talking about us finishing bottom of the league so to finish above Liverpool would be unheard of, wouldn't it?'' Pilkington said.

"I'm from Blackburn-way, up in the north-west, and that would be a great scalp.''

Manager Paul Lambert has rightly earned much praise for the way he has guided his team into the top half of the table after successive promotions.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the Scot's management has been the way he has helped the likes of Pilkington, a summer signing from Huddersfield, to adapt to the rigours of top-flight football with ease.

Another unknown who has excelled in the Premier League after being plucked from League One is winger Elliott Bennett, who thumped home a blistering 20-yard drive to give the Canaries the three points at Spurs.

The 23-year-old, signed from Brighton last June with no experience of playing in the Championship, yet alone the Premier League, thinks the win over Spurs proves Norwich are a real force to be reckoned with.

"It was a performance no-one expected,'' the midfielder said. "It proved we don't want to go anywhere and get our tummies tickled by the big boys. We want to show we can compete at the highest level. It's a brilliant feeling.

"The fans have been waiting for us to get a big scalp and we did that at White Hart Lane.''

Norwich will not have to wait long for a chance to prove that they are again capable of upsetting the biggest names in the league as they face Manchester City at Carrow Road on Saturday.